Lock switch



July 20, 1948. PQLIAKOFF 2,445,635

LOCK SWITCH Filed July 6, 1946 T132- iii? Y J m;

N f Q INVENTOR Tue-0001?; Pa: lA/(UFF ATTORNEYS Patented July 20, 1948LOCK swrrcn Theodore Poliakofi, New York, N. Y., assignor to FlashlightCompany of America, Jersey City, N. J a corporation of New JerseyApplication July 6, 1946, Serial No. 681,727

My invention relates generally to contact makers and breakers, commonlyreferred to as switches. g i

The main object of my invention is the provision of a circuit maker orbreaker which is normally spring-urged into open circuit position,andwhich may be locked in circuit closing position by the action of arockable member.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a circuit maker andbreaker which comprises a rockable button pin secured to a housing, incombination with spring means to normally keep the circuit broken,against the tension of which spring means the rockable member may beshifted to close the circuit and further shifted to lock the circuit inclosed position.

Another object of my invention is the provision, in a device of thecharacter described, of an apertured button held captive in av housing,the aperture being generally T-shaped in cross section, the button beingvertically shiftable along the leg of the T-aperture, and rockable fromside to side along the arms of the T-aperture.

Other and further objects of my invention will in part be obvious and inpart be pointed out specifically in connection with the followindescription of an illustrative embodiment thereof.

In the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Figure l is a front elevational view of one form of device constructedaccording to and embodying my invention, the figure showing my deviceattached to a portion of a housing member;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the parts inopen circuit relation;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the parts in circuitclosing position; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig, 2 with the parts locked in circuitclosin position.

My device comprises, in essence, a rockable button member having agenerally T-shaped aperture therethrough, disposed within a recess inthe housing, the rocking member being held captive within the housing bya cross bar which passes through the T-aperture. Spring means areprovided which form part of the electrical circuit and which normallyurge the rocking member upwardly in one position when the circuit isopen, against the tension of which spring means the rocking member mustbe moved to urge the spring means into contact with the circuit bearingmember and the rocking member thereafter shifted so that the cross baris received within one of the arms of the T to lock the same intocircuit closing position.

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-169) My switch unit, indicated generally by referencenumeral I6,may be disposed in any suitably prepared casing, panel or thelike [2, into which the circuit ends or contacts are secured. Asillustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, one contact point, which is fixed onthe casing or base member I8, is indicated by reference numeral 14. Oneend of the other contact I6 is fixed to the casing or base 18 at a pointspaced from contact M. A spring leaf member 20 is provided, ofconductive material. and secured to contact It and extends therefromtowards contact [4. It should be understood that this securement ofspring as may be varied as desired, the desiderat'a being the tensioningand locating of spring leaf 26 so that the contact end 2| thereof isnormally aligned with but spaced away from contact 14 (as illustrated inFig. 2).

A well or recess 30 is provided on the housing 12 in which is located abutton 32 of non-conductive material, having a cap portion 34, a bodyportion 36, and a tip 38 projecting downwardly therefrom. An aperture 40is formed through body 36, extending transversely thereof, the aperture40 being generally T-shaped in cross-section and having transverse armopenings 42, 44 and a vertical leg opening 46, the extremities of all ofwhich openings are curved. Also, the top line of aperture 40 is curvedslightly, as illustrated. Button 32 is locked within well 30 as by a pinmember passing through aperture 40, the ends of pin 56 bein countersunkor otherwise disposed within the walls of well 30. Pin 50 is circular incross-section, and of diameter to fit snugly and be received within thecurved end of openings 42, 44, 46.

With the parts assembled in the position of 2, it is seen that springcontact leaf 26 bears against tip 38, normally urging same upwardly, thecross-pin 56 being received within the vertically extending leg opening46. In this relative positioning of the parts, the contact end 2| ofspring 26 is aligned with but spaced away from contact i4, and so theelectrical circuit is open.

When it is desired to close or make the electrical circuit, manualpressure is exerted downwardly against cap 34 of button 32, shifting tip38 downwardly and bearing spring leaf 20 down wardly also and urgingspring contact end 2! against contact l4, button 32 riding on shaft 50until shaft bears against the top line of the T-opening 46.

When it is desired to lock the parts in closed circuit position, button32 may be rocked either 3 to the left or to the right, so as to bringshaft 50 into either of the T-arm openings 42 or 44. As illustrated inFig. 4, when button 32 is shifted or rocked to the right, bringing shaft59 into opening 42, the spring tensioning of leaf 20 will urge button 32upwardly against fixed shaft 50, holding it there against shoulder 52.Similarly, if button 32 is rocked to the left, so as to cause shaft 50to be received within T-arm opening 44, it will be held there againstshoulder 54 by the urging of spring leaf 20. To unlock the device,button 32 must be shifted to center position (as shown in Fig. 3) andpressure on the button released, whereupon the te-nsioning of spring21'! will urge button 32 upwardly and the electrical circuit opened.

My device is simple to construct and operate. The parts are relativelyfew and easy to assemble, and positive in operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described for making and breaking anelectrical circuit, comprising a base member, a pair of spaced contactssecured thereon, one of the contacts being fixed,

-ie other comprising a conductive spring leaf member normally biasedaway from the first contact, a vertically and laterally shiftable buttonnormally engaging the spring leaf member, vertical downward movement ofthe button hearing the spring leaf contact into engagement with thefixed contact to close the electrical circuit, lateral movement of thebutton in its down position thereafter locking the parts in the circuitclosing position under the influence of the spring contact, the buttonbeing vertically and horizontally apertured and having a cross barpassing through the aperture the ends of which cross bar are securedWithin the sides of the base, holding the button captive thereon.

2. A device of the character described for making and breaking anelectrical circuit, comprising a base member, a pair of spaced contactssecured thereon, one of the contacts being fixed, the other comprising aconductive spring leaf member normally biased away from the firstcontact, a vertically and laterally shiftable button normally engagingthe spring leaf member, vertical downward movement of the button bearingthe spring leaf contact into engagement with the fixed contact to closethe electrical circuit, later-a1 movement of the button in its downposition thereafter locking the parts in the circuitclosing positionunder the influence of the spring contact, the button having an apertureextending horizontally therethrough, which aperture is generallyT-shaped in cross-section, the ends of the T-arm openings being circularto receive therewithin a circular cross bar passing through the apertureholding the button captive.

3. A device of the character described for making and breaking anelectrical circuit comprising a base member, a pair of spaced contactssecured thereon, one of the contacts being fixed, the other comprising aconductive spring leaf member normally biased away from the firstcontact, a captive button normally engaging the spring leaf member, thebutton being vertically and. horizontally apertured, the apertures.being in communication, a shaft extending transversely through theaperture on which the button rides, vertical downward movement of thebutton against the normal tensioning of the spring leaf bearing thespring leaf contact into engagement with the fixed contact to close theelectrical circuit, horizontal movement of the button in its downposition thereafter in either direction looking theparts in the closedcircuit position, the spring contact maintaining the locked relation ofthe parts.

THEODORE POLIAKOFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,158,355 Willis Oct. 25, 19151,368,370 Taylor 1 Feb. 15, 1921 1,778,186 Douglas Oct. 14, 19301,912,949 Miller June 6, 1933

